Of the thousands of millions of tons of waste generated in the United States annually, approximately 60 million tons are classified as hazardous. Hazardous waste is legally defined by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976. The RCRA defines hazardous waste as any waste or combination of wastes, which because of its quantity, concentration, or physical,chemical, or infectious characteristics may: A) cause, or significantly contribute to, an increase in mortality or an increase in serious irreversible or incapacitating illness; or, B) pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, disposed of, or otherwise managed.

In the Code of Federal Regulations, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) specifies that a solid waste is hazardous if it meets any of four conditions: 1) It exhibits ignitability corrosivity, reactivity, or EP toxicity; 2) has been listed as a hazardous waste; 3) is...